Combination lock

ABSTRACT

A combination lock includes a plurality of dial rings each mounted on and engageable with engaging rings positioned about a shaft and the engaging rings being rotatably movable about the shaft for fastening or unfastening a lock bail positioned in the shaft. In its unfastened position, the lock is arranged to afford the release of the interengagement of the dial rings and engaging rings for separately rotating the dial rings for resetting the combination for opening the lock.

United States Patent Shigeru Wako Tokyo, Japan Sept. 22, 1969 July 13,1971 Wake Klnzokie Kabushild Ka'sha Tokyo, Japan Sept. 30, 1968, Sept.30, 1

Japan 43/85129 and 43185130 Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented AssigneePriority COMBINATION LOCK 6 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 70/25, 70/53, 70/3 l2, 70/315 E05b 37/14, E05b 37/02, EOSb 67/22Field 0! Search 70/2 I 25, 22, 24, 27, 304, 30], 315, 312, 316, 53

Int. (l

[ 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 174,842 3/1876 Orr 70/25Primary Examiner-James A. Leppink Assistant Examiner-Edward J. McCarthyAltomeyMcGlew & Toren ABSTRACT: A combination lock includes a pluralityof dial rings each mounted on and engageable with engaging ringspositioned about a shaft and the engaging rings being rotatably movableabout the shaft for fastening or unfastening a lock bail positioned inthe shaft. In its unfastened position, the lock is arranged to aflordthe release of the interengagement of the dial rings and engaging ringsfor separately rotating the dial rings for resetting the combination foropening the lock.

PATENTEI] JUL] 3 I971 SHEET 1 [1F 4 INVENTOR fiu WHKO hm awt /m @wATTORNEY 5 PATENTED JUL 1 319?! SHEET 2 BF 4 ATTORNEYS PATENIED JULI31am 3, 592', 027

' saw u (1F 4 INVENTOR 90 wfixo ATTORNEYS COMBINATION LOCK The presentinvention relates to an improvement in a combination lock in which thecombination of the lock can be easily changed without any assembly ofthe lock and, the simplication of operation for the change and theprevention of errors during such operation are provided when the lock isunfastened.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the combination locks hitherto known, thecombination of numbers or letters is decided when the locks aremanufactured and it cannot be altered after that. Hence, once thecombination is learned by other people, the lock will have to be givenaway and exchanged for a new one. In order to remedy this defect, it isknown that there are the locks in which it is possible to change thecombination of numbers or letters, but they must be taken apart tochange the combination. Hence, if the users take such locks apart, theyhave the probes that the locks often get out of order and the insides ofthe lock would get damaged to the extent that they cannot be used anymore. After all, every time the combination is changed, the matter willhave to be entrusted to the dealers or manufacturers.

Accordingly the inventor of this application invented a combination lockin which, the dial rings are put on the outside of the engaging rings,both rings are engaged by the notched uneven parts, and when thecombination of numbers is altered, the lock is taken apart partly tomake an opening among the adjoining dial rings slightly broader than theen gagement depth of the notched uneven parts, so that any letters ornumbers can be selected with the dial rings made rotatable freely, butwith only engaging rings only made unrotatable.

In this case, however there were disadvantages that a special shuttledriver was needed when a part of the lock was taken apart and that whenthe dial rings were rotated, the engaging rings were rotated together bythe users error in operation, too, thus making the combination ofnumbers obscure. Hence, the present invention has been worked out as aremedy for these defects.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The composition of the invented lock is this:the combination rings engaged with the dial rings put on the outside ofthe engaging rings are mounted on a shaft; a collar is provided on theupper surface of the shaft; a case is fixed rotatably to its lowersurface so that the combination rings can be prevented from coming off;a lock bail that can be engaged with the internal edge of the engagingrings are passed through the collar and the case; in the lower sidewallof the shaft, an engaging pin is always kept in a protruding form by aspring for engaging the case; and the lock bail cannot be turned to theon position, when the engaging pin is pushed from the outside through anengaging hole of the case and the dial rings are freely rotated tochange the combination of numbers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of a lock illustrating an example of thisinvention,

FIG. 2 is a sectional drawing showing the lock in the locked state;

FIG. 3 shows a section in an unlocked state of the lock with the baillifted up; and

FIG. 4 is a section in an unlocked state of the example with the baillowered;

FIG. 5 shows a section taken along the line A-A in the FIG.

FIG. 6 is a perspective drawing showing a section of a dial ring;

FIG. 7 is a perspective drawing showing a section of an engaging ring;and

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the case.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Now, this invention isillustrated by an example.

Engaging rings 4, 5, 6 are rotatably loosely fitted on a shaft 3 whoseupper part forms a collar 1 and whose lower part forms a fittingprotrusion 2, and the dial rings 7, 8, 9 are mounted on the engagingrings 4, 5, 6, respectively. The notched uneven parts 10, 11 of theengaging rings are engaged with the notched uneven parts 12, 13 of thedial rings 7, 8, 9. Further, a central hole 15 of the case 14 is fittedin the fitting protrusion 2 and a hole 16 is made horizontally towardthe center from the sidewall of fitting protrusion 2. A spring 17 and anengaging pin 18 are inserted into the hole in order and the engaging pin18 is held in a protruding form all the time. A vertical groove 19 ismade in a sidewall of the central hole 15 which is opposite to the tipof the engaging pin 18. An engaging hole 20 is made through the outsidewall of the case 14 from the vertical groove 19. The upper part ofvertical groove 19 is blockaded with a plate 21 fixed to the uppersurface of the case 14. The engaging hole 20 is made in a positionengaging the engaging pin 18 when the fitting protrusion 2 of the shaft3 is inserted to the bottom of the central hole 15. Further, the notcheduneven parts 12, 13 of the dial rings 7, 8, 9 are provided in thecircular collars 22 of the dial rings and the circular collars 23 closeto the sidewall of the shaft are made inside the engaging rings 4, 5, 6.The circular collars 23 have notches 25 which engage the long arm a ofthe lock bail 24. The lock bail 24 consists of a long arm a and a shortarm b and has the reverse shape of an invented letter U and is insertedthrough the collar 1, the inside of circular collars 23 of the engagingrings 4, 5, 6, and the case 14. The lower end of the short arm 12 isinserted into a hole 26 made in the upper surface of the collar 1 whenthe lock works, and in order to insert the long arm a, a through hole 27is made in the case 14 at a right angle with the engaging hole 20. Thehole 27 has a step 28 which is to engage the bottom expansion part 29 ofthe long arm a to prevent the arm a from coming out. The bottomexpansion part 29 of the long arm a is made by protruding the long armdownward and by bringing a jig into contact with the arm after the lockis assembled. Hence, it becomes impossible to take the lock apart afterthe expansion part 29 is formed. Further, the step 28 becomes a stopperfor restricting the lift of the long arm a and when the lock isunfastened, the lower end of the short arm b gets out of the hole 26.When the dial rings are freely rotated to change the combinationnumbers, the lock must be designed so that the lower end of the shortarm b may be disturbed by the sidewall of the collar 1 and the lock bailmay not be turned to the on position. Hence, the step must be prepared,taking into consideration the lift distance of the shaft 3, the lengthof the short arm b and the relative position to the engaging hole 20.(In case where the engagement between the engaging pin 18 and theengaging hole 20 is disengaged in such a way as shown in FIG. 3, thestep must be prepared so that the lower end of the long arm may bepositioned above the engaging hole 20.)

Further, the notches 30, 31, 32 which are to be engaged with thecircular collars 23 are provided in the outside wall of the long arm a.(The side faced to the short arm is called the inside wall.) Thecircular collars 23 of the engaging rings are designed to plunge intoengagement with the notches 30, 31, 32 when the lock is shut. When thelock is opened, the notches 25 of the circular collars 23 are faced tothe sidewall of the long arm so that the long arm a may go up or down.Further, in the example of FIG. 4, a through hole 33 that is toreconnect to the engaging hole 20 when the long arm goes down, isprovided in the lower sidewall of the long arm. When the engaging hole20 is allowed to reconnect with the through hole 33, the position of thethrough hole is regulated in such a way that the lower end of the shortarm 12 of the lock bail may be in a lower position than the on position.This is done as a preventive measure because it is possible to unfastenthe lock by taking it apart to see the inside of the lock when theengaging hole reconnects with the through hole 33 in the lockingcondition. However. if the lock is designed in such a way that thereconnection between the through hole 33 and the engaging hole 20 can bemade with the short arm turned at an optional angle from the onposition, there will be no fear of the engaging holes reconnecting tothe through hole 33 in the locking condition, irrespective of the heightof through hole. But, in this case, the users will have difficulty infinding the reconnection position. Hence, it is advisable to reconnecteach other, with the short arm turned at the angle of 90 or 180. Asoccasion demands, the turning angle for the reconnection can beindicated. In any event, when the dial rings and the engaging rings areseparately rotated, the short arm must be made high to the extent thatit cannot be turned to the on position. (The lock is designed so thatthe lower face of the short arm may be in a lower position than theupper surface of the collar.)

In the above mentioned example, when the unlocking number of each dialring is aligned with an arrow 34, the notches of circular collar 23 oneach of engaging rings 4, 5, 6 are faced to the long arm, so theengagement between the long arm a and the circular collar 23 isdisengaged, the lock bail is drawn up, and the lock is unfastened. Now,as shown in the FIG. 4, the short arm b is turned at l80 and the longarm a is pushed down, as shown in full line in the Figure, to make theengaging hole 20 reconnect to the through hole 33. A slender pin 35 isinserted from the external end of the engaging hole 20. While theengaging pin 18 is pushed into the hole 16 against the spring 17, apulling up force is given, and then when the engagement between the pin18 and the hole 20 is disengaged the shaft 3 is pulled up by a definitedistance h. This distance h is equal to the distance from the upper edgeof the engaging hole 20 to the lower surface of the plate 21. Thedistance is determined by the depth of engagement between the dial ringsand the engaging rings. In other words, this is the minimum distancenecessary to be prepared among the adjoining dial rings in order todisengage the engagement between the dial rings and the engaging rings.Now the engaging pin 18 getting out of the engaging hole 20 goes upalong the vertical groove 19 and comes into contact with the plate tostop. Therefore, there is no risk of the pin coming ofi extremely. Thereare various methods for fixing the plate 21. If the hole 37 in the plate21 is put onto the protruding piece 36 prepared on the upper surface ofthe case 14, and the upper end of the protruding piece 36 is calked toform the expansion part 36a, the complete fixing can be achieved. Also,as long as the above mentioned distance h is kept, the lower end of theshort arm will stick up to the collar and will not come back to the onposition. Therefore, even if the dial rings are moved by mistake, theengaging rings are held in the present position. There is no fear of thecombination numbers becoming incomprehensible.

Next, if the shaft 3 is pulled up and the dial rings 7, 8, 9 are turnedby force applied, the dial rings 7, 8, 9, are freely rotated, althoughthe engaging rings are stayed, because among the dial rings 7, 8, 9,there are gaps to such an extent that the engagement between the dialrings and the engaging rings 4, 5, 6 are disengaged. So, after therequired numbers are aligned with the arrow, the combination numbers canbe freely selected by lowering the shaft 3. In this case, when the shaft3 is lowered, the engaging pin 18 is lowered, sliding down along thevertical groove 19 and when it matches with the engaging hole 20, theengaging pin 18 is pushed by the spring 17 to plunge into the engaginghole 20 and the shaft 3 is fixed in the definite position. At this time,the numbers indicated at the arrow become the new combination numbers.

Next, the example in the FIG. 3 shows that, with the long arm pulled up,the engaging hole 20 is reopened, (as the lower end of long arm ispulled up, the engaging hole 20 is not disturbed by the arm) and theslender pin 35 is inserted into the hole to push up the engaging pin 18so that the engagement between the engaging pin and the engaging holecan be unfastened. Then, likewise in the example of FIG. 4 mentionedabove, the shaft 3 is drawn up, and among the adjoining dial rings.there are gaps to the degree that the engagement with the engaging ringscan be unfastened. By engaging the long arm a with the notches 25, therotation of the rings 4, 5, 6 is brought to a stop and after that, whenthe dial rings are turned, they are separately rotated, and when therequired numbers are matched with the arrow, any combination numbers canbe freely selected. Next, by lowering the shaft 3 to engage the engagingpin 18 of the shaft 3 with the engaging hole 20, the numbers indicatedby the arrow are fixed for the combination numbers of the lock and afterthat, it becomes impossible to change them until the shaft 3 is liftedup. As long as the short arm is not turned to the on position side whilethe shaft 3 is lowered, the engaging rings will not rotate, thus thecombination numbers are decided on the numbers indicated by the arrow,without fear of disorder.

The examples of FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show that the numbers 0, l. 2, 3, 4,5, 6, 7, 8, 9 are described on the dial rings and three dial rings areused. Of course, the numbers can be replaced by the letters A, B, C, andalso more than three dial rings can be used. Every time the dial ringsare increased, the different combinations of letters or marks aresharply increased. When the dial rings are turned at random, there isless probability of the unlocking numbers coming out. Even if otherpersons try many different combinations to unfasten the lock, it willbecome impossible to unfasten the lock in a short time.

According to this invention, the dial rings are engaged with theengaging rings by unevenness and the long arm is engaged with thenotches of the engaging rings, or the notches 30, 31, 32 of the long armare engaged with the circular collars 23 of the engaging rings. Hence,if the unlocking numbers are not aligned with the arrow when the shortarm is in the on position, unlocking is impossible.

If the openings among adjoining dial rings are more broadened than thedepth of engagement between said rings and the engaging rings and alsothe engaging rings are engaged with the long arm, it will be possible tochange the unlocking numbers freely by rotating the dial ringsseparately. In addition, the rise limit of long arm and the length ofshort arm are fixed, and when the dial rings are separately rotated, theshort arm is designed not to turn to the on position. Hence, there is nofear of the engaging rings moving, when the combination numbers arealtered, and even if the dial rings are turned carelessly, there is nomistaking new combination numbers.

Further, the hole 16 is made in the fitting protrusion of the shaft 3,and the spring 17 and the engaging pin 18 are inserted into the hole inorder. The engaging pin 18 is always retained in a protruding form and avertical groove is prepared in a sidewall of the central hole 15opposite to the engaging pin 18. The engaging hole 20 is made in thisgroove. Hence, if the shaft 3 is put in the central hole 15, theengaging hole 20 automatically engages the pin 18, and when a slenderpin inserted from the said hole 20 pushes the said pin 18 into the hole16, the shaft 3 can be lifted to the degree that the dial rings can beseparately rotated. When the shaft 3 is lowered, there is displayed aneffect that the engaging pin automatically engages the engaging hole.Accordingly, the change in the combination numbers can be made veryeasily. There is no fear of the combination numbers becomingincomprehensible by errors in operation. Even if the users operate thelock freely, there is no fear ofa locks losing its function or gettingdamaged.

1. A combination lock in which the combination can be changed withoutdisassembling the lock, comprising a shaft having a collar formed at oneend with a hole formed in said collar, engaging rings loosely rotatablyfitted on said shaft, a dial ring mounted on and exteriorly of each ofsaid engaging rings and a circular collar fixed to and extendinginwardly from each said engaging ring; each pair of one said dial ringand one said engaging ring interengaged for rotation as a unit bynotched uneven parts thereon, a case having a central hole therein, afitting protrusion located on the other end of said shaft from saidcollar, and said protrusion positioned with the central hole in saidcase, said dial rings positioned in sliding closely contactingengagement about said shaft between said collar thereon and said case,an inverted U-shaped lock bail having a long arm and a short armarranged with its long arm extending through said collar the inside ofsaid engaging rings and into said case, said long arm of said bailhaving spaced notches on one side thereof for engagement with saidcircular collars of said engaging rings in the locked condition of saidlock, each of said circular collars on said engaging rings having anotch arranged to be rotated into alignment with said long arm of saidbail, said bail having a locked position with said short arm located inthe hole in said collar on said shaft and said long arm restrained fromaxial displacement by the engagement of said circular collar on saidengaging rings with said notches in said long arm and an unlockedposition with said long arm aligned in the notches of said circularcollars so that said bail can be displaced axially within said shaft andsaid short arm angularly displaced about said long arm from align mentwith the hole in the collar of said shaft and in the unlocked positionsaid shaft is displaceable in the axial direction of said long arm adistance just sufficient for disengaging said dial rings from saidengaging rings so that said dial rings are freely rotatable while saidengaging rings are secured against rotation by said long arm and in thisposition said shaft arm is incapable of displacement into alignment withthe hole in the collar of said shaft.

2. A combination lock, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said fittingprotrusion having a hole therein extending perpendicularly to the axialdirection of said long arm within said shaft, a spring positioned withinthe hole in said fitting protrusion, a pin inserted into said hole andbiased outwardly therefrom by said spring, a plate positioned on thesurface of said case adjacent said dial rings mounted above said shaft,said case having an engaging hole formed therein arranged for alignmentwith the hole in said fitting protrusion, and when in the unlockedposition said shaft is displaceable in the axial direction of said longarm said pin biased outwardly from the hole in said fitting protrusionabuts the surface of said plate on said case.

3. A combination lock, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said long armarranged to be displaced axially through said case out of alignment withthe hole in said fitting protrusion and the engaging hole in said case,and means on the end of said long arm for preventing its displacementfrom said case.

4. A combination lock, as set forth in claim 3, wherein a slender pininsertable into the engaging hole in said case for passage therethroughinto engagement with said engaging pin in the hole in said fittingprotrusion for displacing said engaging pin against the biasing actionof said spring.

5. A combination lock, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said long arm ofsaid lock bail having a through hole therein extending transversely ofthe axial direction of said long arm and spaced axially from the hole'insaid fitting protrusion containing said engaging pin, in the unlockedposition, said long arm being axially displaceable within said case inthe direction away from said collar on said shaft for aligning thethrough hole in said long arm with the hole in said fitting protrusionand the engaging hole in said case, and a slender pin arranged to beinserted through the engaging hole in said case the through hole in saidlong arm for displacing said engaging pin within the hole in saidfitting protrusion against the biasing action of said spring therein.

6. A combination lock, as set forth in claim 1, wherein a flangelikeexpansion part formed on the end of said long arm located within saidcase, in the unlocked position when said shaft is displaced in the axialdirection of said long arm a distance just sufficient for disengagingsaid dial rings from said engaging rings said long arm is displaceablein the same direction but is retained from continued displacementthrough said case and shaft by said case, the extent of axialdisplacement of said long arm being limited so that in such positionwith said shaft displaced axially said short arm of said lock bail cannot be pivoted into alignment with the hole in said collar of saidshaft.

1. A combination lock in which the combination can be changed withoutdisassembling the lock, comprising a shaft having a collar formed at oneend with a hole formed in said collar, engaging rings loosely rotatablyfitted on said shaft, a dial ring mounted on and exteriorly of each ofsaid engaging rings and a circular collar fixed to and extendinginwardly from each said engaging ring; each pair of one said dial ringand one said engaging ring interengaged for rotation as a unit bynotched uneven parts thereon, a case having a central hole therein, afitting protrusion located on the other end of said shaft from saidcollar, and said protrusion positioned with the central hole in saidcase, said dial rings positioned in sliding closely contactingengagement about said shaft between said collar thereon and said case,an inverted U-shaped lock bail having a long arm and a short armarranged with its long arm extending through said collar the inside ofsaid engaging rings and into said case, said long arm of said bailhaving spaced notches on one side thereof for engagement with saidcircular collars of said engaging rings in the locked condition of saidlock, each of said circular collars on said engaging rings having anotch arranged to be rotated into alignment with said long arm of saidbail, said bail having a locked position with said short arm located inthe hole in said collar on said shaft and said long arm restrained fromaxial displacement by the engagement of said circular collar on saidengaging rings with said notches in said long arm and an unlockedposition with said long arm aligned in the notches of said circularcollars so that said bail can be displaced axially within said shaft andsaid short arm angularly displaced about said long arm from alignmentwith the hole in the collar of said shaft and in the unlocked positionsaid shaft is displaceable in the axial direction of said long arm adistance just sufficient for disengaging said dial rings from saidengaging rings so that said dial rings are freely rotatable while saidengaging rings are secured against rotation by said long arm and in thisposition said shaft arm is incapable of displacement into alignment withthe hole in the collar of said shaft.
 2. A combination lock, as setforth in claim 1, wherein said fitting protrusion having a hole thereinextending perpendicularly to the axial direction of said long arm withinsaid shaft, a spring positioned within the hole in said fittingprotrusion, a pin inserted into said hole and biased outwardly therefromby said spring, a plate positioned on the surface of said case adjacentsaid dial rings mounted above said shaft, said case having an engaginghole formed therein arranged for alignment with The hole in said fittingprotrusion, and when in the unlocked position said shaft is displaceablein the axial direction of said long arm said pin biased outwardly fromthe hole in said fitting protrusion abuts the surface of said plate onsaid case.
 3. A combination lock, as set forth in claim 2, wherein saidlong arm arranged to be displaced axially through said case out ofalignment with the hole in said fitting protrusion and the engaging holein said case, and means on the end of said long arm for preventing itsdisplacement from said case.
 4. A combination lock, as set forth inclaim 3, wherein a slender pin insertable into the engaging hole in saidcase for passage therethrough into engagement with said engaging pin inthe hole in said fitting protrusion for displacing said engaging pinagainst the biasing action of said spring.
 5. A combination lock, as setforth in claim 2, wherein said long arm of said lock bail having athrough hole therein extending transversely of the axial direction ofsaid long arm and spaced axially from the hole in said fittingprotrusion containing said engaging pin, in the unlocked position, saidlong arm being axially displaceable within said case in the directionaway from said collar on said shaft for aligning the through hole insaid long arm with the hole in said fitting protrusion and the engaginghole in said case, and a slender pin arranged to be inserted through theengaging hole in said case the through hole in said long arm fordisplacing said engaging pin within the hole in said fitting protrusionagainst the biasing action of said spring therein.
 6. A combinationlock, as set forth in claim 1, wherein a flangelike expansion partformed on the end of said long arm located within said case, in theunlocked position when said shaft is displaced in the axial direction ofsaid long arm a distance just sufficient for disengaging said dial ringsfrom said engaging rings said long arm is displaceable in the samedirection but is retained from continued displacement through said caseand shaft by said case, the extent of axial displacement of said longarm being limited so that in such position with said shaft displacedaxially said short arm of said lock bail can not be pivoted intoalignment with the hole in said collar of said shaft.